Tank Lining Service

Our tank lining service is a cost effective way to restore a storage tank that has interior corrosion with minimal downtime. We offer this repair process for both underground and aboveground tanks and our tank lining service is performed to standards specified by the American Petroleum Institute (API) 1631 and National Leak Prevention Association (NLPA) 631. These standards stipulate minimum requirements for the interior lining of existing steel and fiberglass reinforced plastic underground tanks and periodic inspection of steel underground tanks used for the storage of petroleum.

For most tank repairs we recommend a high solids, novolac epoxy lining. This product is self-priming and is applied to steel surfaces. It has excellent chemical resistance against jet fuel, wastewater, seawater, salt brine, sulfide gas, acid solutions, strong alkali solutions and many solvents. The high cross-link density of the product makes it suitable for immersion service in aggressive environments. In applications where strength, flexibility and drying time is an important consideration we recommend a polyurea coating. Polyurea protective coatings provide a chemical and corrosion resistant liner that is also VOC free. Pure polyurea coatings are ecofriendly and nontoxic which makes it an excellent solution for potable water storage and reservoir liners.

As part of the evaluation of your tank we measure the thickness of your tanks steel to verify the structural integrity. This measurement is done using our ultrasonic thickness gauge, which has a resolution of .001 inch. Once the integrity requirements are met for the lining process the tank is prepared and the coating is installed. Below is a summary of the surface preparation for steel tanks:

Steel Tank Surface Preparation

Preliminary Preparation

Remove all foreign materials such as oil and grease with solvents or other degreasing compounds.

All scaling and rust must also be removed mechanically by sanding, sandblasting, or abrasion.

Treat the blasted/abraded surface with a phosphoric acid solution as described below in order to prevent rust formation if the surface is left exposed for some time prior to application of the resin system.

Apply two coats to achieve a thickness of sixteen (16) mils • Where immersion service is required, the coating is spark tested with a 5,000-volt AC spark tester. Any pinholes found during the test are marked, recoated, and retested.

A coating thickness gauge is then used to verify that the target thickness was achieved and meets the manufacturers specification.

Our tank lining process can be used to restore petroleum, chemical, food processing, and water storage tanks. We are an experienced coating contractor with over 20 years in the business so you are assured that we stand behind our warranty. We also offer a reinforced nonvolac epoxy lining 1/8” (3.17mm), flake filled vinyl ester coating 30-40 MILS (1.0 mm), and a flake glass filled, 100% solids, high performance, multi-functional epoxy coating, 30-40 MILS (1.0mm). So if you need a light, medium or heavy duty lining for your tank application, we have a solution for you.

Tank linings can be installed any time of year. When curing epoxy, you need to apply a constant, specific temperature. Temporary heating units like the one in the photo above provide the correct temperatures for curing in cold weather.

Cement Linings for Potable Water Applications

Whether it’s for fire protection, food process, or hot water storage, steel tanks are designed to last for many years while being exposed to corrosive liquids. Maintaining the integrity of a concrete tank liner is critical to prolonging the life of steel storage tanks. Tank inspections that are performed periodically can identify erosion or damage to a concrete liner before it affects the steel shell. When a repair is required CommTank provides a concrete tank relining service that meets or exceeds the tank manufacturer’s specifications. A new tank liner will prevent further corrosion and give your tank many years of trouble free service.